Faraway
by Kaku
Summary: A message with a hidden meaning could prove to be more difficult than Conan believed.
1. America

* * *

[AN] My first fic in a while and my first Detective Conan fic.   
  
[Notes] Well just in case anyone gets lost, this fic is mostly for people who are pretty familiar with the characters and the manga series. I only read what I could of the manga, I don't have all the books yet and I haven't seen too much of the anime, only the first 50 episodes and a few scattered her and there, out of 368? and still counting. I tried to see Movie 8 (Fan girl scream Oh sorry... Slaps self Major Kaitou Kid fan ) but I think it wasn't playing in theaters around the area I was in when I went, but I have seen the first four movies and the seventh one. I had no subtitles, so I only understood like 25% of them... Hey, at least I'm being honest! Anyway, this may hold some spoilers for those who don't know the series too well, but here's a start to help if you need it-  
  
**Jimmy Kudo** is _Kudou Shinichi_. (In Japanese, the last name comes before the first)  
**Conan Edogawa** is _Edogawa Conan._ (Of course!)   
**Rachel/Rachael (Sp?) Moore** is _Mouri Ran.  
_**Richard Moore** is _Mouri Kogorou.  
_**Amy** is _Yoshida Ayumi_  
**George** is _Kojima Genta_  
**Mitch** is_ Tsuburaya Mitsuhiko  
_**Eva (Ran's mother)** is _Kisaki Eri  
_**Serena (Ran's friend)** is _Suzuki Sonoko  
_  
That's all I can think of for American vs. Japanese names. If you have any questions on who anyone is, I'll try to help you as best as I can in the (hopefully) next chapter. I'm not that familiar with the English names, so I didn't add some last names, sorry. Also, I only added people who appear in this chapter, save for Haibara Ai, Dr. Araide and Jodie. I'll give a quick sum up of them; these are **spoilers** for those who only watch the English version of Detective Conan/Case Closed so... If you don't want things **spoiled** for you now, stop reading, otherwise-  
  
**Jodie Saintemillion-** She appears later on, I'm not sure when(Well after Volume 20, I'm sure), as the high school English teacher, a foreigner in Japan and is thought to have connections to Vermouth. But it is later revealed that Vermouth had actually killed Jodie's father and Jodie works for the FBI, trying to bring Vermouth down. So, she's a good guy =) Yay. At least, I think...  
**Vermouth-** A very dangerous women who's a master of disguise and posed as American actress Sharon Vineyard and supposed daughter Chris Vineyard. She's very high up in the Black Organization (the one that had poisoned Shinichi/Conan) and Vermouth is a name for some alcoholic drink, most of the higher members of the organization have code names dealing with alcohol. Go figure.   
**Araide Tomoaki (Dr. Araide)-** He's a doctor and hangs around Teitan High School (School that Shinichi and Ran attends) and started off as a temporary Basketball Coach. First appeared in Volume 24. He must hang around Teitan High since he volunteered to be the black knight in the play for Teitan High in volume 26.   
**Haibara Ai-** She was one of the 'brains' for the Black Organization and her true identity is Miyano Shiho. Her nickname for the organization was Sherry. She stopped working for the organization when her sister, Miyano Akemi, was killed and because of that, she herself was to be killed. She is the creator of the drug that was used on Shinichi/Conan, APTX 4869. She had been handcuffed and waiting for her execution by the organization, but took her life in her own hands by taking the APTX 4869 herself. Instead of dying, she shrunk and realized this must have happened to Shinichi/Conan and sought him out. Professor Agasa found her outside of Shinichi's home, passed out and took her in, giving her the name Haibara Ai and enrolling her into the same school as Conan. She can be very cryptic at times.   
**Kaitou Kid** (Added because if you don't know Kaitou Kid, shame on you!)- The sexiest--ok, let's start on the facts first. Even though, yes, he is in fact sexy. Kaitou Kid is an international criminal, or at least, the **first **one was. This Kaitou Kid, however, is the **second** one and also the **son** of the first Kaitou Kid. Only 17 and a genius, a magnificent magician and an unusual thief who usually returns everything he steals. So why does he steal? Just for the thrills of it? Not exactly, he actually is in search of the Pandora Gem, something his father was killed for. He wears a white suit with a blue dress shirt, red tie, monocle on his right eye and a white top hat. Pretty stylish and bold, especially when he's trying to pull a heist in the dark and stands out like a sore thumb. He's also the only criminal to match Shinichi's wits, but he must be a little better since he always finds a way to slip out of Shinichi's grasp. But they are pretty evenly matched; I think Kaito just has more luck (and Gosho's favor. **Aoyama Gosho**- Creator of Detective Conan and Magic Kaito. Yaiba too.) 

Okay, I'm getting really tired, so let's move on shall we? Any question or corrections for me, just comment/e-mail me. As long as it's not like a flame or anything of the discouraging sort. Enjoy the story!

[Disclaimer] I don't own Detective Conan. If I did, they'd still have their original names. Even if they would sound a bit funny.

* * *

**Faraway  
**  
_America  
_  
[Kaku]

* * *

Mouri Ran had adjusted to life over the past year quite well, if she did say so herself. After all, not only did her best friend disappear from her life without so much as a farewell. Edogawa Conan seemed to appear out of nowhere for her to take responsibility of. In a way, she was a little grateful for the latter. Then there was her father's sudden genius when it came to being a detective, after months of being jobless. _This_ also started on the day Shinichi had left and Conan had come into their lives. Then there were all those cases, many of which that dealt with murders...  
  
_Sometimes I think Conan is the only one that keeps me sane..._ Ran shook her head to dispel the more depressing turn her thoughts began to take and tried to focus on the notes being written on the board.   
  
Ran really had been doing well, living life as best as she could. It was true that she constantly had the famous high school detective in the back of her mind, but with the occasional (now rare) phone calls to update her on his life. Well, it wasn't really much of an update, but just the usual of 'Where are you,' 'Another case,' 'Come home soon!' etc.  
  
But it was suspicious, wasn't it? Shinichi disappearing the same day Conan appeared in her life. Whenever she felt so hopeless and tired, a call from Shinichi would come just in time to lift her spirits. How similar Conan and Shinichi looked, yet just when she was about to find the truth, something bizarre would happen and have all the clues and evidence being swept away. It happened often enough for Ran to question her sanity, but no matter how many times she had been shown that the possibility of Conan's true identity being Shinichi was absurd, she just couldn't completely disregard it.   
  
_Shinichi, you idiot,_ Ran thought angrily, yet with a hint of endearment. _You're hiding something from me, aren't you? What kind of case are you on that could keep you away for so long?  
_  
"Hello! Ran?" Ran blinked as she found Sonoko waving her hand before her eyes in an attempt to grab her attention. Ran straightened up at once, looking around the room to find everyone packing up and leaving.   
  
"Jeez, Ran! I've been standing here right in front of you for a while now. Something on your mind?" Sonoko's voice took on a slyer tone that Ran recognized so well, "Or is it _someone_-"  
  
"Oh, look at the time!" Ran interrupted, standing up abruptly as she looked up at the clock that hung on the wall at the front of the classroom over the blackboard. She bent over and gathered her things hurriedly. Stuffing the last of her notes into her bag, she swung a strap onto her shoulder and smiled at her friend. "Karate practice, you know! Championships are coming up so I can't miss a single one!"   
  
Before Sonoko could protest, Ran was out the door and flying down the hall. She silently apologized to Sonoko for her sudden exit, but she wasn't in the mood to reflect on him. At least, not with anyone else.   
  
_I don't need to have Sonoko telling me he's an idiot_, Ran justified as she slowed down to a walk and pushed open the doors that led to the courtyard, _I can do that on my own.  
_  
"So this weekend--"  
  
"--Been ages--"  
  
"--that movie."  
  
"I know--"  
  
"---Great detective---"  
  
Through all the chatter of scattered students in her path, those words caught her attention at once and Ran faltered in her steps. She stood where she was as she frowned, trying to find out where that conversation was coming from.  
  
"You mean Kudou-kun?"  
  
Ran's hearing seemed to sharpen as her attention focused onto a small group of girls, some she vaguely recognized from some of her other classes, passing by slowly. They were too engrossed in their conversation to pay attention to anyone else that could be listening in, huddled together and shuffled a bit across the ground.  
  
"Of course! It's been a while since he was last seen here."  
  
"Well, it was kind of odd, wasn't it? I mean, he wasn't even around for the end of our second year_[1]_ so maybe it's true..."  
  
"It has to be! This is our last year, after all, unless he's coming back for second semester. I think that would be the best time to come--"  
  
"It's a shame that we lost such a cute guy, isn't it?"  
  
Ran, who had been confused for the most part of the conversation, was wondering if they were still talking about Shinichi at all. It was possibly that she may have misheard, but she had a feeling that if she asked, she would get the answers she had been desperately searching for. The question was, however, if Ran really wanted to know.  
  
"I heard it from a guy who heard it from the secretary in the office--"  
  
"That can't be very reliable--"  
  
"But the secretary heard it from the _principal_, so I'm sure it's true!"   
  
"So last year--"  
  
"I'm not sure if it applies to last year, but this year Kudou-kun's not going to be here."  
  
Ran's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Shinichi's name and took a step forward. She immediately pulled back when she realized how conspicuous she must have looked as she had stood out in the middle of the courtyard, her eyes focused on the girls a few feet away. She swallowed hard and tried to loosen out her tensing muscles and casually walked by the girls slowly, glancing at them out of the corner of her eye as they continued their conversation without missing a heartbeat.  
  
"But all the way in _America_?"  
  
"Well, considering who his parents are and how well he speaks English..."  
  
"Do you think he might come back?"  
  
"Who knows? I just heard this from..."  
  
Ran missed the rest as the girls finally shuffled out of hearing distance. She soon found herself on the school steps to the main entrance before she stopped right before the doors.   
  
Her heart sank.  
  
_America_?

* * *

"_America_?!" Conan shouted into the receiver, his eyes widening as he nearly fell out of his seat.  
  
"_Well, how does that sound?_" His mother's voice chirped over the phone eagerly, "_It'll be so nice, all of us together for once, won't it?_"  
  
"I told you," He snapped back at her, after getting over his initial shock, "This is my case, I'm handling it on my own."  
  
"_But Shin-chan[2]..._" He could practically hear the pout in her voice, "_It's been over a year now..._"  
  
"Look," He began slowly, taking a deep breath as he tried to calm his temper, "this isn't some simple case where there's only one culprit to catch, this is a syn-" He paused on that word, frowning as he realized how bad it would be if someone had been listening on their conversation. It had happened before and even if they had taken out the earlier bugs, that couldn't stop anyone else from trying for long. He nearly hit his head at his carelessness as he remembered his mother's reference to him by his pet name. But they probably had an idea of who he was anyway, but it was best to stay as cautious as possible.   
  
"It's just not the usual thing for me, all right?" He eventually substituted as his mother prodded for a response at his prolonged silence, "You know this case is mine alone and very critical to me. I'm trying to keep a low profile so why are you spreading word that I've moved to America with you?" He had barely managed to keep from succumbing to his temper and raise his voice. He had to respect his mother and wait for her explanation before he could chew her out.   
  
"_What else could we do?_" She asked him with a sigh, "_They were getting worried since you haven't completed your second year. Just up and disappeared. You don't want to repeat your second year, do you? We had to cover for you somehow and it would seem strange if you had changed schools for no apparent reason, since we are still here in America._"   
  
He kept silent as he reviewed the reasons his mother had.   
  
"_Am I right?_" He grunted in response. "_I thought so. Don't worry; I didn't really expect you to come back. We only did it to take out any suspicion and attention that your disappearance may have caused._"  
  
"Couldn't you have made a less extreme excuse?" He mumbled under his breath.  
  
"_What?_"   
  
"Nothing." He replied back quickly, "Anyway, even if you say you had to do it, _tell me first_. Before you do anything."   
  
"_Mmhmm... Well, make sure you've been studying normally too, because I don't want you struggling in your final year in high school. I'll probably assign you a tutor, even if you_ are_ very smart--_" That didn't sound good.  
  
"Are you listening to me?" He interrupted her, glowering as she started off with her own plans concerning him, but not consulting with him. "_Tell_ me first, don't just go and do things on your own--" In the background, he could hear movement and the sound of the door opening and closing.   
  
"_Oh, would you look at that! You're father's home--Welcome back!_" His mother chirped enthusiastically. He narrowed his eyes. He knew his mother was trying to get rid of him.   
  
"Don't lie to me--"  
  
"_Lie? Would I do such a thing?_"_   
  
_"**_Yes_**--" He yelled with no hesitation, but was cut off once again.  
  
"_Of course I wouldn't!_" She continued as if she had heard him, "_Well, I have to go! Good luck with your case, I'm sure you'll solve it soon Shin-chan!_"  
  
"Wait--" But the line was already dead. He sighed as he let the phone fall onto its cradle carelessly, raising a hand to rub at his temples in exasperation. It would have been a waste of time to continue their conversation anyway. There was nothing more he could do and his mother actual did help him. A smile began to make its way onto his lips as he recalled her words.  
  
_"Well, make sure you've been studying normally too, because I don't want you struggling in your final year in high school."_  
  
_She's so sure I'll actually return,_ He thought. _There wasn't any hesitation in her voice... nothing..._   
  
It gave him hope, with his mother's faith in him. It had been a while, but they were getting closer, so it won't be any longer. Right?  
  
"It's not that bad, is it?" A cool voice asked him from his right. He jumped at the sudden intrusion of his thoughts as Haibara made herself known. She stood next to him with the phone exposed to her gaze. It had fallen off the table at some point, the receiver dangling on its curled cord inches above the floor and the constant beeping could be heard to alert the occupants of the room at its incorrect placing.   
  
She raised a brow, even as her expression never changed. Only Haibara could make him feel like a fool when she would be the one standing with a glass of juice in hand. A glass that was decorated in little moons and stars even, but it did nothing to clash with the sophisticated air she always carried about her.   
  
Conan hastily pulled the receiver by the cord and placed it back on its cradle, correctly this time and effectively cutting off the continuous beeping. He frowned at her, "What do you mean by that?"  
  
"It'll put a stop to the many inquiries around your disappearance and make things a little less troublesome for you, won't it? Even if they caught wind of that little tidbit," She paused to take a sip from her glass, despite Conan's impatient stare. _They_ obviously meaning the Black Organization. "They would assume you would be in America and set their sights there. Or maybe not even bother with you."   
  
She crossed the room to the couch on the opposite side of him and took a seat, taking another sip from her glass graciously. "Then again, I'm sure they wouldn't want a loose end like you flying around so unattractively."  
  
"Loose end..." Conan repeated, unconsciously bristling. He stopped himself, taking a deep breath before letting a slow smirk cross his face, "I see. I didn't really take you as one to eavesdrop like that."  
  
"It can hardly be considered eavesdropping when you're talking on the phone in the same manner as yelling across the room." She replied.  
  
"Now, now." Professor Agasa broke in as he entered the room with his own decorated glass and taking a seat as well. Unlike Haibara's, the rockets exploding in colors and patterns about the glass seemed to match with his personality very well. "But I believe your mother was right to do what she did. Ai-kun_[3]_ is right. This may actually help you in the long run, Shinichi-kun."  
  
"I know." Conan replied tersely, placing his elbow on the arm rest of the couch and placed his chin on his upturned palm.   
  
A companioable silence spread throughout the room as they let the topic fade from their minds and engage in their own musings.   
  
"Jodie e-mailed me." Haibara spoke up suddenly. The silence that followed after was nothing like the first; full of tension and a bit of curiosity.  
  
"Why? What did she want to talk to you about?" Conan ventured when Haibara did not follow up, choosing to fix her attention on her glass. Turning her drink in her hand as she watched the ice cubes circulate in the mini whirlpool she had created and further diluting her beverage.   
  
"Haibara-" Conan began when she continued to stay silent, but another presence made itself known.   
  
"Conan-kun! Ai-chan!" Ayumi chirped from the hallway, her voice drifting into the room. Two other voices called after her, confirming the entrance of the rest of the Detective Boys.   
  
Conan sent Ai a look that spoke clearly of his expectance of an answer. She met his gaze without a bat of her eyelashes, then turning her head dismissively as Ayumi and the others appeared in the doorway.  
  
"Why aren't you ready?" Ayumi admonished as she viewed all three of them sitting quite comfortably on the couches with a drink in hand, save for Conan. Mitsuhiko and Genta frowned at them from behind Ayumi, adding to her scoldings as she placed her hands on her hips. "Well?"  
  
"Wha--Oh!" Professor Agasa blinked as he stood up quickly. "Right, right."  
  
Ayumi, Genta, and Mitsuhiko beamed as the Professor downed the rest of the contents of his glass and went in search of his keys and coat. Conan continued to stay where he was, looking at the other three in confusion. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ai getting even more comfortable with a soft smile on her lips as she plucked one of the nearby novels that the Professor had scattered around his home. She opened it up at the bookmark, removing the slip of paper, before becoming lost in the story.  
  
"Conan-kun!" All three called to him, his attention now focusing on them.  
  
"What?" He asked, blinking as he realized they were now only an arms length away from him.  
  
"Come on! Don't you remember on Monday that we planned to go out today with the Professor to see that new horror movie?" Genta explained to him as he looked over at the older man. "He said he would take us if our parents wouldn't mind and it's way more fun to watch it with you guys than my parents."  
  
"That's right. We were looking forward to this all week." Mitsuhiko reminded him as crossed his arms over his chest, "This is a rare chance for us since it's an _R_ rated movie!"  
  
"Yeah!" Ayumi chirped, practically gushing with excitement as she fixed her wide, sparkling eyes on him. "I heard it's the _scariest_ movie yet! With a lot of parts to make you _SCREAM_!" She ended the last word with her own little scream, causing the boys to flinch back in surprise.   
  
She grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and yanked him right off the couch. "Let's go, let's go! We don't want to get back home too late, so we should hurry now!"  
  
Stumbling, he caught his balance before he could crash into the coffee table. He lightly pulled his sleeve from Ayumi's grasp, fixing them with a skeptical look, "I seriously doubt any of your parents would let you see an R rated movie."  
  
They blinked at him simultaneously, and then smiled as they looked over at the Professor slyly.  
  
Conan glanced over at the elder man as well, eyes narrowing in suspicion as he seemed to stiffen at all the glances he was receiving. Professor Agasa looked over at them, smiling nervously as he placed on his coat and headed for the door, "Come on, let's not dawdle. You don't want to miss the show, do you?"  
  
"Of course our parents wouldn't let us see this movie. They think we're at the arcade or something!" Genta told Conan nodding, a grin widening on his face. "But thanks to Professor Agasa, we're going to get to see it without their permission!"  
  
"Really..." Conan mumbled as he stared after the Professor. Genta and Mitsuhiko followed suite with Ayumi trailing behind to make sure Conan didn't miss out on the 'fun.'   
  
"If you paid a little more attention, you'd know why, Conan-kun." Ayumi giggled as she took his wrist and urged him to the door. "Come on, let's go!"  
  
"Wa-wait!" He frowned as he looked over at Haibara who remained unmoving with the same serene smile on her lips, "What about Haibara?"  
  
"Oh no, she can't come Conan-kun!" Ayumi frowned, and to his surprise, looking a little angry, "See, if you listened, you wouldn't even _think _of asking Ai-chan to come with us!"  
  
"Haha... Sorry about that." He laughed nervously, trying to placate her anger, "Want to fill me in on _why_ she gets to miss out on this chance of a lifetime?"  
  
"Ai-chan's too scared to see a horror movie! Especially a really scary R rated one, like this one!" Ayumi told him as if it was obvious.   
  
_Of course..._ Conan thought, laughing humorlessly as he looked over at Haibara. Did he just hear a chuckle from her? _Scared of horror movies my as--  
_  
"Don't worry about me Edogawa-kun." Ai murmured, never taking her eyes off her book. "I'll be fine here. It would be better than wasting my money on a movie that I'll be watching with my hands over my eyes."  
  
"See? We'll bring you back some popcorn and candy, okay Ai-chan? We can even have our own movie night right here, just so you don't feel left out okay?" Ayumi offered. Conan grimaced at the thought of stale, butter popcorn and a great assorted mix of half eaten candies that would be stuffed into their pockets just for Haibara.   
  
_At least I won't be eating it..._  
  
There was a loud honking noise and muffled shouts flowing in through the open doorway. Realizing how long they had been standing there, Ayumi bid Ai a quick goodbye, nearly dragging Conan out by the collar of his shirt.  
  
When the door was shut and the sound of the engine running had faded into nothing, Ai finally closed the book and placed it to her side carefully. She slipped off the cushions and onto her feet, slowly making her way to the laboratory and the computer.   
  
As she descended the steps to the computer room, the emptiness of the house seemed to settle in and remind her of the times where she had worked alone in her room for days an end for them--  
  
Her calm disposition faltered for only a moment as she was pulled into memories that had long since been suppressed, but with the pressing silence and overwhelming loneliness beginning to consume her... Ai found herself on her knees and her hand placed on the doorknob of the computer lab. She shook her head, gripping the door handle tightly as she leaned up against the wooden frame to help herself to her feet.   
  
_A moment of weakness..._  
  
She turned the knob and pushed the door open, but made no move to enter. Staring into the darkened room where the only source of light could be found from the hallway of where she stood and the small, square screen of light that illuminated the room at odd angles.   
  
There the words stood out bold and clear, simple white on black. Those few words that stood apart from the rest of the message held a great significance, but no meaning to Ai.   
  
_What_ are_ they planning?_

* * *

"Wow!" Was all Sonoko could manage as she stared at the spread in front of her. Mouth watering and her stomach rumbling, she managed to tear her eyes away from the heavenly sight and stared across the table at goddess before her.  
  
"I love you." Sonoko whispered, meaning every word as she grabbed her spoon and dug into the creamy, chocolately goodness of her sundae. Ran smiled at her brightly.  
  
"Of course." Ran agreed as she took a sip of her plain glass of ice water. Despite the many plates filled with sugary cakes, shakes, and varieties of ice cream that stood on the table before her, she took no notice as she fixed her eyes on her friend.   
  
_Lucky me,_ Ran thought, despite how light her wallet felt in the pocket of her skirt. _Sonoko actually forgetting her wallet and missed out on lunch today.   
_  
"Mm..." Sonoko moaned in delight as she continued to shovel it all down. Ran was momentarily thrown off at the ravenous appetite that had taken over the other girl, but there were more pressing matters at hand. Steeling herself, Ran fixed her eyes on her glass and carefully chose her words.  
  
"I heard something strange today."   
  
"Mm!" Sonoko acknowledged through a mouthful of ice cream and a bit of cake. "Mm?"  
  
"Something very strange about some guy at our school. It was funny, really. I knew it couldn't be true." Ran said as she followed up with an innocent giggle. Sonoko took a gulp of her vanilla shake, pausing to take a breather as she glanced over at Ran.  
  
"A rumor, right? Well, with the guys you never know. If you mean the one about Keita in the locker room--"  
  
"No, no..." Ran cut her off, shaking her head. Even though that caused her to blink (_I never heard about that one..._) she had to stay focused, "It's not that."  
  
"Oh. Well, then what did you hear?" Sonoko asked. Ran waited until Sonoko had taken another bite of her sundae to answer her question.  
  
"Shinichi is in America right now." Sonoko choked, dropping her spoon into her bowl with a soft clink. "But that can't be true, right?"  
  
"O-of course not." Sonoko managed to cough out, trying to smile reassuringly at her. Ran's eyes narrowed as she fixed her with a glare.  
  
"So, you did know."   
  
"No!" Sonoko denied a little too quickly. Catching herself, she grabbed her shake and tried to take nonchalant sips. "I'm just as shocked as you are. Shinichi in America? No way, right!" Sonoko finished off with a rather mechanical laugh.  
  
"Mika told me. She also said she heard it from _you_."   
  
"What?! That stupid--" She stopped at Ran's darkening look. "... Mika didn't really tell you that, did she?"  
  
"No." Ran responded flatly.  
  
"This is why I didn't tell you!" Sonoko defended at Ran's hard glare.  
  
"I didn't say anything." Ran told her calmly, glad to see Sonoko squirming. "But since we're on the topic, why don't you tell me everything you know?"  
  
"No."   
  
Ran nearly fell out of her seat, her calm exterior breaking, "What?!" She asked her incredulously.  
  
Sonoko crossed her arms over her chest and stuck up her nose. "I said _no_."  
  
"_Sonoko_!" Ran hissed, slapping a hand on the table in a show of frustration. "What kind of friend are you?"  
  
"Shouldn't you be asking **him** that?" Sonoko countered back sharply and just as angrily. That had caught Ran off guard as she leaned back in her seat, staring at her friend's angry glare that nearly matched her previous one.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Sonoko relented suddenly, her arms falling to her sides as she fixed Ran with a sympathetic look. Ran winced at the pity she saw there and started to shrink back.   
  
"In the beginning, I thought you knew. I believed you were the first to know, since you're the closest to Shinichi-kun and when you never mentioned it to me, I thought it was too painful for you to think about (but I was mad that you wouldn't confide in me) so I never brought it up. _But_," Sonoko emphasized, "when Dr. Araide came up to you that day..."

_

* * *

Ran winced as Dr. Araide asked her to flex her swollen wrist, unable to move it more than a centimeter before a pain shot through her arm.   
  
"You sprained it pretty badly, Ran-san[4]. Don't worry, nothing's broken at least. Try to take it easy, will you?" He refered to the gi[5] that she still wore. Having no time to change into her school uniform one handed and risk making her injury worse.   
  
"That's what I told her." Sonoko added as she stared at Ran's wrist, looking a little pale. "Ouch."  
  
"Ouch is right." Ran mumbled as Araide rubbed something cool against her injury as lightly as he could and wrapped it up firmly.   
_  
_Smiling, he helped Ran on to her feet and held open the door for the two girls, "Nothing too strenous or it'll take longer for that to heal."  
  
"Yes sir, thank you Dr. Araide!" Ran told him as she stared at her wrapped injury despairingly. To say the least, Sonoko's constant remainders weren't helping the situation.   
"I told you to call it a day!" Sonoko reprimanded her as they started down the hall.   
  
"Ran-san."_  
  
_Ran and Sonoko stopped at the call and turned around in the hallway to find Dr. Araide emerging from the health room after them.  
  
"Yes Dr. Araide?"  
  
"Ran-san..." Dr. Araide began as he took a step towards them. Sounding like he had more to say, they both stood where they were, blinking up at him curiously._   
  
_Dr. Araide finally managed to smile, "I'm sorry for what happened. It must be very hard for you." and with that he turned away and headed out of sight.  
  
Sonoko nodded slightly besides Ran, giving her a side glance. Her eyes widened as Ran stared at Dr. Araide's retreating form in confusion.  
  
Ran looked over at Sonoko, stilling looking perplexed with a hint of concern as she held up her wrist, "It wasn't that bad, was it?"

* * *

_

"... And that's how I figured it out!" Sonoko told her, finishing the remains of her shake.   
  
Ran blinked, "I forgot about that... I guess it makes more sense now."  
  
As Ran continued to think back on that certain memory, Sonoko gathered her things and slipped out of her seat. Ran looked up at the movement, watching as Sonoko headed for the door, waving over her shoulder with one of the cakes in her hand.  
  
She stuffed it into her mouth before making her escape and managed to mumble something that sounded like, "Sorry, I gotta go! Thanks for everything Ran, I'll make it up to you!"  
  
"Wait Sonoko!" Ran called out to her friend as she hurried grabbed her own things and headed for the door, but it was too late. She exited the small shop and looked down the sidewalk in either direction, but Sonoko had already slipped away into the crowds.   
  
Concluding that Sonoko had probably run home was the most likely possibility. Then also deciding that even if she did track down Sonoko, nothing else could come from it, she decided to call it a day. Sighing, something she was starting to do constantly, she started in the direction of home.   
  
One foot in front of the other, her eyes fixed out ahead of her. Her movements were coming to her unconsciously as her mind wandered and her legs carried her home. The way her body turned and flowed in an effort to avoid colliding into anyone else was like a familiar dance she would do every day as she walked home from school.  
  
_I shouldn't be mad._  
  
She paused at the crosswalk, reaching over to press the aging metal button covered with rust. She felt her fingers fall into an indent from years of abuse from the outside world that it had endured, pulling her hand away slowly and letting it fall to her side.  
  
_It's not like anything's changed. Even if I know where he is now, that doesn't mean he's coming back home any sooner._   
  
Ran frowned on her thoughts. _Home? Can I call this place _home_ for him?_ She looked up at the sky that was overcasted with dull dark grey that seemed to match the conflict that her eyes showed. Despite the absense of the sun obscured by the clouds, it was still hot enough that had her temper shortening and rationality leaving her by the minute.   
  
_His home is in America. He _is_ home, right now_. The light changed and the flow of pedestrians started across the street in waves. She followed, tugging at the tie of her uniform, causing one of her buttons to come undone as well. She laughed somewhat forcefully as she looked back on the conversations they had before. _I always told you to come home soon, didn't I? Well, looks like I got my wish. You're home right now, aren't you?   
_  
Before long she found herself in front of the Mouri Detective Agency, fueled by her anger and despair. She found her vision blurring from tears of frustration as she fell into self-pity from the unfairness of it all. The reality called life. She stomped up the steps, her book bag swinging wildly in her hand as she made her way to the door, fumbling for her keys in her skirt pocket. She managed to pull them out, handling them roughly, and caused it to fall to the ground as she tried to fit it into the lock.   
  
_I bet you're laughing right now_, She thought angrily as she bent down on one knee to pick up the keys and viciously slammed it into the lock. _Laughing at stupid, naive Ran who can only cry and whine while you're gone. Stupid, **stupid**...  
_  
The phone rang out shrilly just as the door swung open. Ran caught it before it could hit the wall and slammed it shut with such ferocity, it had the windows rattling. It would have been enough to wake her father, had he been there at the time. Instead, only a few empty beer cans and packages of assorted snacks shook and some fell off the table.   
  
The phone rang again.  
  
Her attention was focused on the now active device and crossed the room in quick strides in order to reach it. Ran just barely stopped herself from snatching up the phone, standing only a foot away as she took in deep breaths. She was surprised to find herself panting, as if she had just been a marathon and knew she couldn't answer the phone in her condition.  
  
_Breath, breath..._ She repeated in her head like a mantra as she took control of the torrent of emotions threatening to break her. Eventually, she managed to get her breathing under control as she leaned against the desk for support. _You just need to talk to him. Then you'll feel better_.  
  
She continued to assure herself, calming down a little at a time. A sudden ring broke through her thoughts causing her to remember what she was trying to do in the first place and wonder just how long it had been ringing.  
  
She took one last deep breath as she reached over and pulled the receiver from it's cradle in mid-ring and brought it to her ear.  
  
"Hello," She spoke calmly, not a hint of emotional break-down here, "Mouri Detective Agency--"  
  
"Hey Ran, sorry for--"  
  
She slammed the phone down and started the mantra all over again.

* * *

[AN] I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. I like to stick to Japanese, since I really love the country and prefer it over my own =P Shh, don't tell the government! I know some Japanese and I have a lot of friends who are fluent in the language and (mostly) well-informed in the culture, but I could be wrong in some things, so please excuse my mistakes, ok? I only write in the notes to help anyone who might be confused with the terms, because I'm sure it must be irritating to read a story and not understand what the terms are for or what they mean, their significance, etc. But you can skip this part, of course, if you already know!  
  
[Notes] [1]_Second Year-_ in Japan they usually have elementary schools, but then after their Junior High is grades 7-9 and then High School is 10-12. Second year is 11 grade, so they were talking about their Junior year and are now starting their third year, grade 12. They usually talk about their grade levels like 'Year One, Junior High,' or 'Year Two, High School' etc. I might be a bit wrong, but that's the basics of it.  
_[2]Shin-chan-_ -chan is suffix used with children and mostly girls. Also can be used with people you really care about, an endearment. Shinichi's mom always refers to him as her Shin-chan. Cute, huh?  
_[3]Ai-kun-_ -kun is actually a suffix for boy names, first or last. I don't think it's grammatically correct to use it with girl names, but Megure-keibu (Inspector Megure) and Agasa-Hakase (Professor Agasa) use -kun for pretty much everyone. Examples being _Ran-kun, Mouri-kun, Shinichi-kun,_ etc. I'm not sure why they use it, but I guess that's just how they are, I think like it fine, though.  
_[4]Ran-san_- Suffix meaning Mr. Mrs. Miss, polite way of saying someone's name, first or last.   
_[5]Gi_- The name of the uniform Ran wears for Karate. Also could be referring to a Judo uniform, since they are very similar. Difference is that Judo gi's are thicker, I think.  
  
[AN] Anyway, I hope you enjoyed that and if you did, commenting me or e-mailing me would be great to let me know how it is so far. It's nice to know what other people think of it. It'll help if you guys review and make me happy knowing that other people enjoy reading this =P just don't be too hard, okay? If you didn't enjoy reading this... at least you learned something from my notes, right?


	2. The Trouble with Cats and Messages

* * *

[**AN**] Sorry, I usually update very slowly and sporadically. But I am glad that some people are interested. By the way... Anyone interested in being my beta reader? Lol... I could use a couple since I'm not too patient with correcting my own work and it would be nice to talk with people who actually know/love Detective Conan as well as I do (more or less) so if anyone's interested, give me a message. All you need to do to 'qualify' is know/love Detective Conan, patience (you'll need that a LOT with me), good grammar (since I, obviously, have none), spell check and... well that's it. When I say patience, I mean... Patience is a virtue, kind of patience. I only ask my friends, but they get confused a lot cause they're not an anime-otaku like me. Well, at least with Conan anyway... They're also way too nice... I mean, they always say my stuff is interesting, but I don't know if they're being truthful or just being nice. 

[**This Chapters Inspiration**] Detective Conan's theme '_I Can't Stop My Love for You'_ preformed by Aiuchi Rina. To those who have seen that opening, I just love the scene where Ran is holding a hand to Shinichi after he's shrunken and still in the clothes he had been wearing previously, only now it's two or three sizes too big. It spoke volumes to me. =) Various other songs on my computer. The reviewers =) I was really happy when you guys told me how interesting my story was, telling me in the depth of your comments and how you couldn't even pause for a meal to finish this. I like hearing your comments =) and of course, thank you to the rain on sunless days.

[**Disclaimer**] It's really hot right now--I mean, I don't own Detective Conan. Also, one line of the message does not belong to me. I won't say which one yet since it'll ruin this chapter for you if I do, so next chapter I'll tell you which one it is if you don't already know.

* * *

**Faraway**

_The Trouble with Cats and Messages_

[Kaku]

* * *

"Professor."

The man in questioned started to hum an old tune as he headed over to the ticket booth. He stopped a few feet short, still humming, as he looked over the digital board above the booth. Movie titles and show times covered the screen in brightly lit letters and numbers for a few moments, before changing to a completely different list. He waited for the title of the movie the Detective Boys wished to watch to appear on the board, placing his chin between his thumb and forefinger as he decided on the best time to go.

"Professor." This time the call was sharper and clearer. The Professor began to hum louder, shifting from foot to foot unconsciously.

There was the unmistakable click of something breaking free of its clasp.

"Oh Shinichi-kun!" The elder man turned around and glanced down at the boy who was currently aiming at him with his watch. "I didn't hear you--"

"I know you did, Professor." Conan told him, scowling as the Professor offered him a nervous smile. The watch was now locked on its target.

"Yes?" He asked as he tried his best to sidle out of the target range, but Conan followed his every step. He sighed in defeat as he straightened up, almost as if this really was his last moments in life, eyes closed and chest puffed out in a show of acceptance.

_Give me a break..._ Conan thought wearily as he put his watch away, shaking his head lightly. _There's definitely something that I'm missing here._

"Stop, Professor. I don't know why you won't tell me..." He trailed off, looking over at the rest of the group. They were currently staring at all the posters of movies now showing and up coming in theaters. Talking excitedly to one another as they pointed and awed over the posters. "I could always ask them, but I have a feeling that their version of events will sound a lot worse for you."

"Well, it's nothing important really..." The elder man tried to cover nervously, waving his hands a bit. Conan frowned, but quickly turned it into a smirk as he casually glanced around, observing his surroundings carefully as his eyes held a twinkle of mischief. The color drained out of the Professor's face as he recognized that look, which meant no good for him.

"**_Hey guys!_**" Conan called suddenly. All three stopped their chatter at once and looked over at him curiously. A few passersby glanced over at him as well. He called to them, cupping his mouth with both hands to help his voice cross the great span of space between them. Agasa looked horrified for a moment as more people began to take notice of them. "**_Could you tell me wh_**--"

"--**_Which show you would prefer?_**" Professor Agasa finished with his great hand over Conan's mouth--and nose. Cutting off more than his shouting, Conan struggled as Agasa picked him up and smiled at the other three who had started to amble their way over to them, viewing the pair in surprise.

"Ouch!" Agasa yelped when Conan managed to struggle enough to get a grip on his hand and bit down hard. Crude, yet effective, he was thankful for the air that filled his lungs. Agasa dropped Conan on his feet to nurse his new injury, blowing on it lightly.

"I couldn't **breathe**!" Conan hissed as he took in another deep breath, his chest heaving noticeably.

"Hey, what's with you two?" Mitsuhiko questioned as he and the other two made it the rest of the way from the posters. "Everyone's looking at you."

"Yeah, it's almost as if they _know_," Genta told them, his voice lowering to a whisper as he glanced around nervously.

Conan perked up at this, his breathing more controlled and looked over at Genta quickly, "Know what?"

"That we're going to see an_ R _rated movie!" Genta hissed, a little too loudly. More stares were thrown their way as Ayumi and Mitsuhiko shushed Genta angrily.

"Oh." Conan blinked, but was not deterred. "Hey, why don't you tell me about why Professor Aga--"

"Here!" Agasa suddenly interrupted, holding out some money to the elementary school children. They all blinked with wide eyes at the amount of money offered to them in disbelief. He quickly added in, "For the snacks. Go ahead and buy them for us while we get the tickets."

"... Professor?" Ayumi questioned unsurely as she stared at the money carefully, looking up at him with her usual wide-eyed stare.

"Go ahead, it's my treat isn't?" He told them, beaming. All three exchanged looks as Conan sighed impatiently.

"No, it's not that Professor," Mitsuhiko told him. The Professor blinked in confusion, so he continued, "We can't get in unless we have the tickets."

There was a moment of silence as the Professor took the time to realize his mistake. Covering it up with a laugh, he pocketed the money and turned to the ticket booth, "Oh right, right. I'll do just that."

Shaking their heads, they followed the Professor as he bought their tickets. Once bought, he ushered them toward the entrance and gave the tickets to the woman standing at the double doors. She smiled at them in welcome as she returned the stubs back to the Professor. Despite having an adult with them, the Detective Boys couldn't help but feel a little jumpy as they walked passed her stiffly, breaking out into a full out run to the snack bar once they were out of her line of vision.

"What's wrong with you guys?" Conan questioned, hands in his pocket as he raised an eyebrow at their antics.

They skidded to a stop and turned on Conan together, shouting out in defense, "Nothing!"

"All right..." Conan replied, blinking in surprise at such a strong response. They continued to glare at him, but as the smell of popcorn reached their senses they quickly forgot their uncertainties and focused on other matters.

"Let's get that! No that! Oh, we have to have popcorn!" Ayumi bounced out eagerly as she pressed herself against the display case full of well-known candy brands. Mitsuhiko and Genta were at her side, mimicking her actions as they too fought over what to buy.

"Not too much." Professor Agasa spoke up from behind them, inspecting the choices himself. "You don't want to make yourself sick."

"We won't!" They chirped simultaneously.

"Conan-kun!" Ayumi called out when she found Conan at Agasa's side, merely watching them from a distance. He blinked at her in response and she giggled. She waved one arm out to him and called him over, "What are you doing over there? Come look at what you want!"

"Ah, that's okay." Conan replied, glancing over at Agasa. "You guys pick what you want. There's a long line so Professor Agasa and I will wait and call you over when it's time for us to order."

Professor Agasa nodded, taking his place at the back of the line with Conan at his side as the other three shouted their appreciation and continued with their painstaking decisions. Conan looked up at Agasa, eyes narrowed, "All right. Now tell me."

"I told you, it's not important--"

"You're taking them to a horror film that their parents wouldn't approve of and covering for all the expenses. If that's not blackmail, then you're being awfully generous today, but I hardly think that's the case." Conan said as he shoved his hands deeper into his pockets and fixed the Professor with an expectant gaze, "So talk."

The Professor sighed, raising his hand to rub at his temples tiredly. "It was an accident." The Professor started off, keeping his voice low enough so that the chatter of the other people standing in line covered their conversation, "I had finished another invention. It was quite genius, really. A few bugs to work out, but I felt it was ready for a test run."

_Hah..._ Conan thought as the Professor brightened at mentioning his invention and started to go into detail of the mechanics, _Bad decision on his part to let the 'bugs' go..._

"I had created a fan_[1]_ that would be powered by the heat around you. No batteries needed, just a heat source over normal body temperature and you have an effective cooling source. It was portable and I decided to try it out on a walk late in the afternoon. It was still quite hot out so I was sure I had plenty enough energy to rely on. I decided to head to the park, where I met Ayumi-kun--"

"When was this?" Conan cut in, frowning as he thought on a time that he had not been with the Detective Boys. Usually he would always accompany them to the park, so it was strange that he had not been present when Agasa had come by. It had happened recently (This past week?) and he hadn't been sick. They didn't have any cases during that time either, which, in itself, was strange.

"A few days ago. I saw Ayumi-kun and I asked why she was in the park by herself. She told me that she had gone after a kitten she saw earlier when she was with you boys and Ai-kun. But I guess you weren't there at the time."

"Obviously." Conan remarked dryly, and then paused as a thought struck him. _Wait a minute_.

"Oh, that..." Conan mumbled as he remembered that they did go to the park a few days ago and there was a kitten involved. And an explosion. How could he have forgotten?

_Why didn't I make the connection sooner?_ Conan thought to himself as he resisted the urge to slap hit himself for the key details he missed. At Professor Agasa's questioning, he decided to go over the details quickly so he could get the answers he wanted.

He told the older man of how he remembered how an orange tabby had crossed their paths and shown them how affectionate it could be. But it hadn't stayed long before it quickly lost interest in them and bounded off towards the park, narrowly escaping traffic as it darted across the street. It did, however, stay long enough to find a place in Ayumi's heart and she had started after it in concern. He and the others had to grab her to keep her from putting herself in danger, but she managed to wriggle free. Luckily, she ran towards the nearest crosswalk instead of running into the street like she would have earlier. They had no choice but to follow.

Conan had believed it a useless effort once they entered the park and began calling out for the orange tabby. Not only was visibility low as it grew later in the day, but by judging of the swiftness the cat possessed as it had crossed the street and the vastness of the park, there would be a slim chance of finding it. But these facts did not matter to a seven year old girl who believed she had found her new pet and thus began to long arduous search for the orange tabby.

Conan had grown tired of the search and tried his best to reason with them. Haibara was no help to him as she merely followed the rest of the group. Haibara was merely going along with them because she knew it was frustrating him. Ayumi refused to leave the park without locating the kitten. That almost guaranteed that Genta and Mitsuhiko would not leave Ayumi alone to search in vain.

* * *

_"Ayumi-chan," Conan began tiredly while the rest of them sat on a bench looking just as exhausted as he was. "We've been at it for an hour and it's getting late. Maybe you'll have better luck tomorrow?" _Hopefully you'll forget about it by then...

_"But... Conan-kun..." Ayumi sniffled; tears collecting at the corner of her eyes as she laced her fingers together in her lap and cast her gaze down to the ground. The hopelessness of the situation began to sink in and her shoulders began to shake._

_"Conan!" Genta and Mitsuhiko yelled out at the unsuspecting boy together. Conan jumped back, arms raised up defensively as the other two closed in on him. _

_"What are you saying, Conan-kun? We can't give up; we barely covered even a fraction of the area!" Mitsuhiko informed him harshly, his normally calm and amiable expression twisted into anger, for Ayumi's sake._

_Genta was in a similar state, his hands clenching into fists as he raised them up to Conan threateningly, "Yeah, what's the big idea? Making Ayumi cry like that!" _

_"I didn't mean to..." Conan tried to explain, shrinking back as Genta started to advance on him. Mitsuhiko cut in, luckily for him, as he took a pose that radiated determination. _

_"Don't worry, Ayumi-chan!" Mitsuhiko assured her, his eyes bright and hopeful. "We'll find that cat no matter what!"_

_"Y-yeah!" Genta stumbled over his words as he agreed with Mitsuhiko, not to be outdone. He gave Conan a glare as he stood before Ayumi, arms crossed and then bowed his head slightly as he turned to give her a look that spoke of his resolve, "We don't need Conan's help. We can find that cat without him!"_

_"Really?" Ayumi perked up, giving them an uncertain smile through her tears in response to their actions. _

_"Of course!" Genta and Mitsuhiko assured her in unison. Ayumi's smile widened and her tears began to dry as she hopped to her feet with renewed vigor._

_"All right then, let's go!" She shouted and charged into every bush, nook and cranny, up every tree and under every bench in renewed hope. Conan watched them with exasperation, but decided it was better to let them go until they used up their energy than start another argument. Haibara pushed off from her spot on the bench and took her place next to him as they watched the other three wander farther and farther away. _

_"You could learn something from them." Haibara commented as she viewed them with an indifferent gaze, but the small quirk of her lips told otherwise. _

_"Ha?" It sounded more like a breath leaving him nosily than a questioning grunt. Her smirk was unmistakable now as she took a few steps forward, hands clasped behind her back as she continued to watch them search on, frantically using what light they could from the sun that was slowly descending in the west._

_"Not just you." She spoke in a bare whisper, flexing her fingers together as she continued on rather cryptically. "I could learn something too."_

Ha?_" He repeated himself as he stared at her back with an askew glance, trying to depict her meaning. He almost gave in the urge to sigh aloud and complain about women being such a mystery. Then again, he wasn't sure if he could classify Haibara with _average_ women..._

_Haibara refused to acknowledge him any further as she continued to watch the other children with a careful gaze. It might have been his imagination, but he thought he could detect a softening in her eyes as the Detective Boys continued with their fruitless search. She seemed to be far away now and wouldn't be able to hear him._

_So it was either stand there and watch the others tire themselves out or go home. Well, considering that they were upset at him and would probably refuse his help... "I'm going to head home. Good luck guys!"_

_No one acknowledged his farewell as he turned, walking away (he missed the faces being made at his back) with his hands shoved in his pockets. He just managed to find the entrance of the park that they had come through a couple of hours earlier and had only taken one step when guilt started to settle in._

Great... Already has all the boys wrapped around her little finger, _Conan thought, partially amused as he glanced over his shoulder into the entrance of the darkening park. _She's only seven... I hate to think of what she could make you do in high school. _His thoughts were only half-hearted as he turned around and re-entered the park, shuffling his feet against the ground. The sound of his sneakers leaving the concrete pavement and onto the gravel and dirt covered path of the park echoed around him and only served to damper his spirit. _

All right, let's make this quick,_ he thought irritably as he stopped in his tracks and took in his surroundings. Considering the circumstances of the little light he had and the time that had passed since they had last seen the cat... the chances of finding it were _very _slim. But to tell a child, especially a very persistent little girl, that finding a common orange tabby in a park with such a great capacity, the span of time that had passed and distance the cat could have possibly gone (if it was still in the park at all) were about, maybe a hundred thousand to one... You might as well try talking to the nearest tree if you want someone (or thing) to reason with. As long as the cat existed and there was energy left in their bodies, they would search for that cat and they would find it. _No matter what.

_He wasn't going to get anywhere if he just stood there and contemplated the matter. He picked up his right foot and began to take a step to bring him deeper into the park when a sudden noise, most like an explosion, sounded through the area sharply and clearly. _

Bang. Boom.

_Conan jumped at the noise grating at his ears, stumbling and nearly tripping over his own two feet. He managed to catch himself as he waved his arms to balance himself, looking around wildly for the source of the noise._

Screech. Screech.

_Many sounds of the like followed and blended together. He wasn't sure, but he thought he could see smoke in the distance. He tried to step forward, but was once again impeded as an orange-brown ball of fur was launched at his chest and had him crashing onto his bottom._

_His arms had reflexively wrapped around what had pounced on him and found himself holding the orange (actually, now that he had a closer look, it was more of a dark brown) tabby that they had been searching for, shaking against his chest. Various curses formed in his mind, but never made it to pass his mouth. He merely winced as he waited for the pain to stop shooting up his spine and for the cat to stop digging its claws into his skin. The latter refused to do so, even after a few minutes of sitting there so stilly and rigidly. _

_Afraid that any move to stand up or shift his position would cause the cat to break free or bloody him up, he carefully moved his arm to allow his hand access to his pocket as he searched for the communicator badge. Fishing it out and putting it up to his mouth as he spoke quietly above the shaking animal, "Ayumi-chan?"_

_There was no answer. He waited, wincing as the cat dug its claws even deeper into his skin at the sound of his voice. Was the badge even on...?_

_"Ayumi--"_

_"Conan-kun?" A voice chirped out suddenly. The cat tensed in his arms even more. He could feel the muscles tightening and the claws flexing (painfully into his chest and arms) as it seemed to prepare to break free. _

_"Ayumi-chan. I found your cat." Conan told her quickly and as quietly as possible as he tried to keep his firm hold on the cat. He didn't want to suffer through this pain for nothing--_

_"Oh, really? That's okay Conan-kun! I'm kind of busy right now, but thanks anyway! Maybe you can keep it?"_

_His mouth dropped open, his eyes widening as he stared down at the badge in disbelief, "What?! No! I don't want it--"_

_"You can't just leave it all alone! I'm sorry Conan-kun; we're kind of busy right now. Just take care of Mikan-chan[2] for now, okay? Thanks! Bye!"_

You already named it... _"O-oi! Wait!" Conan began calling to her through the badge, but there was no answer. After a few more futile moments later, he realized that she had turned it off and pocketed the badge once more. _

_Staring out ahead blankly, he pondered just how he got himself into situations like this. It wasn't for a long moment that he finally came to his senses and began to move. He was surprised to find the cat still in his arms, no longer clawing at his skin, but resting somewhat awkwardly in his lap, its tail whipping back and forth in a slow rhythm to express its annoyance. He considered letting it go, but the thought of seeing Ayumi's tearful expression and the wrath of the other two boys made him think better of it. _

Maybe Ran would like it... _He thought. He could only hope that she would take this burden off his hands. He got back on his feet and shifted the cat so that it was now cradled in his arms. Luckily, it wasn't full grown yet, or it could have done a lot more serious damage to him. (Not to say kittens aren't vicious, sometimes)_

_A new pet in his arms, injuries to take care of and dinner, pushed the earlier noises from his mind as he started back home. ___

* * *

"What happened?" Conan asked as he pulled himself out of his reverie. The Professor thinned his lips, looking from side to side as discreetly as possible before he leaned closer to Conan and give his explanation.

"My invention wasn't as... safe as I believed."

Conan fought back the urge to retort. _So what else is new?_

"It was extremely hot and humid that day, ensuring abundant energy for my invention, but as I was talking to Ayumi-kun and the others on the sidewalk, a car parked right at the curb I had been standing at. Ah... the heat from the car, added to the atmosphere around the fan must have overloaded it..."

"Of course..." Conan mumbled, laughing humorlessly as he imagined the damage that had been inflicted. His eyes widened as a thought suddenly occurred to him, "The driver--"

"Oh no... No. The owner of the car wasn't hurt. My invention started to overload _after_ they left and... Well, for their car, I can't say made it out so lucky."

He stayed quiet for a moment. "You destroyed the car and ran away..." It was more of a statement than a question.

The Professor shifted from foot to foot nervously as they neared the counter. "I dropped it when it began to heat up and it burned my hand. I didn't really know how much energy it could handle at once, my miscalculation. But it fell and bounced under the car and... Well, you guessed the rest from there."

"Ayumi-chan and the others saw you..." Conan snorted as he glanced over at the other three, catching their eye and waving them over as they were next in line. "Some role-model. How is this different from those kids who would put cherry bombs in mailboxes? I hope the car wasn't totaled."

"Not completely. It was a small miscalculation, I could fix it." The Professor defending, flushing as he stepped toward the cashier and began to make the orders just as the others arrived at their sides.

"Hey Conan-kun." Ayumi whispered to him as she finished picking out the treats to last her through the movie and turned to him with a wide smile. "Professor is great, isn't he? This movie will be great!"

"Yeah, great." He nodded, looking up at the Professor with a reprimanding look. The older man turned away, embarrassed to be lectured by someone not even one third his size.

"Thank you Professor!" All of them cried together, smiling with exaggerated innocence. Bystanders cooed and awed over the beaming children as the Professor pulled his coat's collar higher about his burning face.

Once they gathered their boxes of snacks and drinks that would last them through the movie, they headed towards their theater.

"Let's sit in the front!" Genta told them as he led the way through the swinging door and marched down one of the aisles to the open rows of seats.

"Wait Genta-kun!" Mitsuhiko called out, frowning at Genta's lack of consideration for the others, "I think it would be better to sit in the middle--"

"The front! We'll have a good view and won't miss a thing--"

"But the speakers are right _there_. Your ears will be ringing if someone in the movie screams--"

"The louder the better!"

"Conan-kun, where do you want to sit?" Ayumi asked as she watched the other two boys bicker. A faint blush rose on her cheeks as she imagined sitting next to Conan and holding him tightly as the movie would go on and how she was sure he would protect her. Even if it was just from a movie.

"Conan-kun?" Ayumi blinked as she shifted her gaze from the other two and glanced around, frowning when she was given no response. She looked around the dimly lit room and only found the familiar faces of Mitsuhiko, Genta, and the Professor around her. "Professor?"

"Hm?" He acknowledged as he watched more people enter from the door and the availability of seats diminishing with every minute the two argued.

"Where's Conan-kun?"

"Hm? Oh, he went to the bathroom." He covered quickly as he looked down at her, and then glanced around. He hadn't even noticed that Conan had left.

"Bathroom?" Ayumi repeated in surprise. "But the movie's about to start isn't it?"

As if on cue, the lights dimmed even further and the projection began on the screen. Ayumi squinted her eyes as she adjusted to the new lighting. It took her a while to discern the Professor as she reached out for his coat, holding on to keep from getting separated.

"Hey you two," Agasa rumbled as he grasped their shoulders and ushered them towards one of the more empty rows, "the movie is starting." They tried to argue as the Professor pushed them forward, but at the slight squeeze given to their shoulders, they submitted to his authority and sulked quietly down in their seats. Ayumi followed, seating herself besides Mitsuhiko, but cried out at the Professor in a keen whisper before he could sit down next to her.

"Wait Professor! That's saved for Conan-kun!" Agasa laughed quietly, apologizing as he shuffled over to the seat besides that one, causing Ayumi to smile at him in gratitude. Needless to say, this had Genta and Mitsuhiko simmering quietly long after the movie began.

Once the others had been too engrossed in finding a place to sit, Conan had slipped away found his way back into the lobby. He placed himself in a discreet hiding place as he watched the theater doors of which he came from to see if anyone had followed him.

A few moments passed, no one had come out. He sighed in relief as reached into his pocket and pulled out his voice changing bow tie and headed over to the row of pay phones that stood in the corner of the lobby, adjusting the tie to fit Shinichi's voice all the while. He picked the phone set right at the corner and added in a few coins before dialing the number. It had been a while since he last called.

The phone rang once, twice, three times.

He tapped the toe of his sneakers against the carpet as the phone continued to ring. Surely she would have gotten home by now? The ringing persisted for a few minutes as he watched the seconds tick by on his wrist watch. Just as he was about to hang up, she finally answered the phone.

"_Hello_," Mouri Ran finally answered, "_Mouri Detective Agency_--"

"Hey Ran, sorry for--" He started to reply. He jumped back when the there was a loud click to announce their disconnection. Ran had just hung up (actually, slammed the phone down) on him. That had never happened before, no matter how upset Ran would be at him, she always managed to hang on and wait for an explanation, even if she would yell and cry all her pent up frustration at him first.

As much as it hurt him to know Ran in such a miserable state, he could handle it. He could hold on if she could, he could listen and tell her the words that would be the closest to what she wanted to hear, but he couldn't do anything unless she would give him a chance.

Conan placed the phone back on its cradle as he pocketed the bow tie and ran a hand through his bangs. He must have really screwed up this time. He hesitated, looking up at the phone with his hand still tangled in his bangs, before lowering his gaze and dropping his hand to his side. No, calling her again while she was still upset wouldn't help matters.

He wondered if news of his supposed status of living in America had reached her. He realized this was probably a stupid question since the answer was obvious by her reaction to his voice. It was strange, but as despairing as the situation seemed to be, he was a little happy. She was upset that he had truly left her, so she really did care. For Ran to react so strongly, but this also brought on some guilt.

_Damn,_ Conan thought in frustration as he shoved his hands into his pockets and glared at some point on the carpet beneath his feet. _What do I do now? Just wait?_

He slowly placed one foot, then the other in the direction of the theater the others were in. The previews were running and were heard clearly across the lobby with the door slightly open. He wasn't keen on watching a movie while he knew Ran was probably miserable at the same moment. He turned around and started for the exit.

_But she doesn't want you,_ A voice in his head whispered softly. He paused. No, Ran wouldn't feel better if Conan suddenly appeared in her doorway with his innocent grin and cheerful eyes, magnified by his spectacles as he peered up at her. But he wasn't sure if Ran would feel any better even if Shinichi would be there to darken her doorway.

_You can't do anything for her as Conan,_ the voice continued on spitefully. _You may never be able to do anything for her. You've been Conan for over a year and probably will be for many more to come._

His heart clenched and the bottom of his stomach dropped out. He shouldn't think that way, he couldn't think that way. But he did. There is always one truth that will prevail and the facts given to him were leading up to the one truth that he never wanted to acknowledge. As long as he was alive, he'd find a cure. He'd return to his life. _Kudou Shinichi will return_.

But how_ long _would that take?

With that final thought, he broke into a run and nearly bruised himself as he rammed open the glass doors of the lobby's entrance and sprinted down the sidewalks in his desperation to get back.

_I will get my life back. Until then, I'll make do with what I can._ Even if Ran needed Shinichi the most to pull her back up on her feet, Conan would have to do for now and lend whatever strength he could offer. At least, until that day...

* * *

Haibara's fingers glided over the keyboard with skill, sentences appearing in succession. The words were reflected in her darkened eyes as she continued to work in what little light was given in the partially lit room. It was hard to tell if the passages were sinking into her mind as the screen continuously scrolled down at a steady pace, the words becoming mere grayish-black blurs.

She had not stop for an hour now, pushed closer to the screen as she sat on the edge of her seat. She was still contemplating the meaning of the e-mail Jodie had sent her.

_Kudou-kun was right to worry_, Haibara thought without even pausing in her work, despite how her mind seemed to detract from the actions of her body. _Why would Jodie be contacting me instead of Kudou-kun? Was this for my eyes only? But she never said to keep it a secret,_ Haibara's mind continued to run in circles, centered on the e-mail she had received earlier.

Even if Jodie did tell Haibara to keep a secret, how likely was it for her to actually listen? It was true that Haibara wasn't the most readable person you could meet, or very predictable, but she would never do something stupid. At least, in her eyes, whatever choice she would be making wouldn't be wrong. She was a genius, a scientist, after all. She should be able to weight all the pros and cons before making a decision that was best suited to her situation. But sometimes, someone else's opinion can help to effect that decision, it was better to have another view on things before deciding anything.

Her thoughts were drifting to him. _That's right, Kudou-kun_, Haibara paused in her work, causing the abrupt stop of words flowing on the screen. _I'd probably dead long before if I've never met you_. Though, she was still trying to figure out if that was a good or bad thing. Either way, she was going to do work to the best of her ability to search for a cure of the APTX 4869. There was also uncertainty here, not of ever finding a cure, she was sure she would one day. But the uncertainty came from if she would reclaim her life as Miyano Shiho along with the antidote.

Only time could tell.

But her research had been pushed back due to the message sent to her. It bothered her to no end that she could not figure out the implications of the message. She was no detective, maybe, but her intelligence could give Kudou a run for his money.

The message had been clear and simple; at least it was the first time she read it. But as she had contemplated informing Kudou-kun about its contents, she discovered a hidden message had been placed in the letter. It was similar to the form of the hidden message found in the disc that Kudou had brought back after solving a case that possibly could have involved a member of the Black Organization. But that had led to nothing more than confusion and frustration.

This message seemed exactly like that incident. Her cursor had crossed over the seemingly large blank space that stood out between Jodie's message and her mark at the end of the e-mail. White out-lined letters stood out starkly on the black highlights. Haibara's eyes narrowed as she remembered the strange implications that was mentioned, but made no sense. The clues were too vague... but she _knew_ their scent. She could sense them, no matter what disguise they bore or what ever form they took. This undoubtedly held their scent.

Haibara pushed her research aside, her thoughts now focused on the message at hand. What was Jodie trying to tell her? Why the secrecy? Had _they_ sent Jodie that message in order to deliver it to her and possibly Kudou-kun? There were better ways to contact them, without the aide of Jodie. Why would they use someone who was part of the FBI and risk possible capture and exposure? These questions and many more began to flood her head and create a torrid of conflicting emotions and thoughts to start crashing through her mind. She opened up the e-mail and re-read the message over again carefully, trying to find anything she could have miss, any important detail or clue. Anything--

The sound of swift, yet slightly clumsy steps was sounded through the room above. Haibara stiffened at the intrusion, her eyes slipping down to the clock that was placed out of the way, in the corner of her computer screen. It had barely been over an hour since they left, there was no possible way that they could have seen the movie and have come back by now.

Her heart rose to her throat and began to pound in her ears. It wasn't them. It can't be them. She knew deep down, it wasn't them. She was over-reacting. But the foot steps continued, becoming distant, then closer. Almost as if the intruder was looking for something.

She carefully slipped out of her seat and stepped cautiously over to the door that stood ajar. A sliver of light could be seen from the small opening from the hallway. Her small hand reached up and enclosed around the knob, slowly pulling it open and stuck her head out as she glanced up the staircase. The sounds continued, accompanied by the flickering of shadows and light that played against the walls near the entrance of the staircase and stretched down as far as the light would reach.

Haibara thinned her lips in worry, but her expression betrayed nothing as she completely stepped out of the room and started up the steps without hesitation.

What she found once she reached the top did not surprise her, but her muscles loosened a bit at her discovery. "Kudou-kun."

"Haibara?" Conan questioned as he paused in his search through the mess of papers and parts on the Professor's desk. He was placed precariously on a stool with his palms placed flat on the surface of the desk before him to keep his balance, peering over his shoulder through his large spectacles. "Did you see my phone?"

"Phone?" She repeated, raising a brow as she took a step closer and bent over to pick up the papers and other miscellaneous objects he had dropped in his earlier searching. "Kudou-kun's or Edogawa-kun's phone_[4]_?"

"**My** phone." Was his tart answer. She merely let it roll off her as she stood at the desk next to him, tapping the papers on it gently. She assumed that his answer meant his phone as Kudou Shinichi as she lined the pile of papers up with the corner of the desk very neatly, all the while Conan was watching at her impatiently, before she gave him answer.

"No."

"You could have told me that sooner." Conan snapped as he jumped off the chair and headed off to search the rest of Professor Agasa's home.

Despite herself, she was curious as to what he was planning to do. But instead of questioning his current actions, she decided to start from the beginning, "Why are you here? What happened to the movie?"

"Ditched." He simply replied as he continued to rip apart the Professor's living room and work his way from there, in search of his phone.

It seemed his mind was somewhere else now. "What are you planning to do?"

"Send Ran a message."

"Oh." This time Haibara answered with a short reply as well. The way she seemed to say that simple two-letter word stopped him in his search as he turned around slowly. He blinked to find himself under one of her scrutinizing gazes and took an involuntary step back. She seemed to think he had some sort of furtive gesture in contacting Ran with such urgency and silently demanded him to reveal his true intentions.

"What? I just want to talk to her. Well, send her a message at least. She won't delete it, (at least I hope) if she finds the message from me." He explained himself to the young scientist as he pulled apart the chairs and couches to find his phone. "I guess I can understand her feelings, a little. If I found out someone close to me had left the country without so much as a good-bye, then I'd be pretty upset too."

"You were still communicating with her."

He paused, examining a few coin pieces he seemed to find instead of his phone before tossing them to the side and heading into the next room. "Yeah, but I was keeping it a secret. For her, she's just found out I've been in America for over a year and out of all the conversations we've had, I've never mentioned it once. Even if I didn't know about it until recently and it's technically not my fault... But she thinks I knew and I've been keeping secrets so she's _supposed_ believe that story and..." He stopped, realizing he was babbling on, almost senselessly (to _Haibara_, of all people) and decided it was best to leave it at that.

As amused as Haibara was, her facial expression remained unmoved, "How is that different from any other day since you've _changed_?"

He stumbled, but did nothing more to acknowledge her words.

"Isn't that so? From the moment you became Edogawa Conan all you've done is given her one lie after the other." Haibara smiled somewhat mockingly as she slid her small hands into the pockets of her lab coat, staring intently at his tensing back. "It can't be helped, but a lie is a lie. One day they will pile much too high for you to carry on your shoulders and it will all come crashing down--"

"**_Enough._**" The caustic command was barely above a whisper, but it stopped her just as effectively as if he would have placed a hand over her mouth to cease the flow of words. She could see his side profile now. His eyes were slanted and burning fiercely. She almost took a step back from the rage of emotions that were just boiling beneath the surface of his seven year old exterior. Sometimes Haibara would go too far, but it was the truth that had to be faced everyday of his life. He just didn't need to hear it from someone else, what he knew deep inside his heart that carried the heavy burden.

He didn't have to say it, at least, not in words. Despite that, Haibara matched his glare with her own cold gaze. Neither of them moved as the tension between them began to grow. They both knew a year could be a long or short time for someone. It was long for them, when they thought about the truths that they hid. The APTX 4869 that was the start of their problems. The cure that was yet to be found. The Black Organization that still strikes fear and frustration into their very being. The past that they wished to return to and run away from. But then, when you didn't have to do it alone... When you knew that there would be someone there waiting for you or by your side, every step of the way.

"Here." Haibara said a split second before she tossed something to him. He caught it thanks to his fast reflexes from his years of training in soccer, but it took his mind a little longer to recognize the object in his hands.

"You did have it!" He cried it outrage, eyes widening. In his hands was Kudou Shinichi's, _his_ phone. The very thing he had been turning the house upside down for-- "Haibara, you--"

"You have a message." Had Conan been looking at her, he would have seen the way her eyes seemed to darken as she spoke those words.

"Oh. I see... You broke my lock?!" Once again side-tracked as he stared down at his cell in disbelief.

"No." She replied tartly, her expression finally gave to one of annoyance. "You left it unlocked. You really should be careful Kudou-kun," Haibara continued as she set about replacing the cushions and picking up the miscellaneous items he had tossed to the ground so carelessly, "you're much too relaxed here. Leaving your phone out in the open where anyone could just pick it up and you wouldn't know until it was too late. You should be glad that I was the one who found it."

"Glad, she says..." Conan grumbled as he keyed into his inbox and opened up the new message. "Yeah, I feel really safe around you--What?"

"I received the same message. Now you know what her e-mail said." She murmured quietly as she finished replacing the rest of the items. Her eyes strayed off to the side as she waited for him to finish reading the entire message.

"You got the same... Wait." Conan paused, looking up at Haibara warily, "How do you know they're the same?"

He was met with a flat look as his answer.

"You've been reading my mail too? What else have you been doing with my phone?!"

_Idiot.___

* * *

"He didn't call back." Ran told the empty room as she sat on the couch of the agency, staring at the still object that sat on her father's cluttered desk. Her eyes were dry, upholding a calm exterior with her book bag lay neatly on the coffee table and her hands folded primly in her lap. She continued to stare at the phone with her heart sinking into her stomach. "He won't call back."

Ran raised one hand slowly to her face, her entire body shuddering at the heavy sigh that was emitted from her parted lips as she stroked her fingers through her hair. She shouldn't have hung up like that. She should have listened to what he had to say. It could have just been one big misunderstanding, right? He could have been telling her that he was coming home right now. He could of...

But he won't.

_That idiot,_ Ran thought with no real heat as she stared at her bag without actually seeing the item in front of her. _If he calls back, I'll answer. If he has an excuse, I'll listen. If he asks for forgiveness..._Ran clenched her hands in her lap tightly, her eye twitching. She'd practice a few katas_[3]_ on him first, but she'd forgive him if he would come back.

She shook her head slightly. No, she couldn't ask him to come back now. That would be selfish on her part, if Shinichi had really wanted to live in America. She would still forgive him for not telling her.

It still hurt. That wouldn't change. How could she trust him now? To hide such a drastic change from her. Did he just like hearing her voice cracking as she berated him and worried over his absence over the phone?

Sadist.

Anger gripped her heart again as rationality started to flee from her mind. She clenched her hands tightly into the folds of her skirt, the pressure of her nails cutting in through the material and making impressions on the palms of her hands. She was supposed to be his best friend, wasn't she? Best friends would tell each other important things like that. Things like moving to another country.

It was then that her anger began to be overridden by the pain that was spreading through her heart. It was stupid, to get so worked up over something that had long been decided and with little to do but accept the facts. But it still hurt for her. If Shinichi couldn't... wouldn't tell her about something so mundane, then what other things could he be with holding from her? Actually, it wouldn't be that surprising. For a while now, ever since he 'left,' Ran could sense it there was something more to what he wanted to say whenever they spoke on the phone. It would hang between them like an evanescent mist, fading to the back of their minds as they covered it with dulcet conversations that would barely scratch the surface of the true worries and concerns.

_Absence makes the heart grow fonder..._ Was that true? Ran wondered as she flexed her hands that were beginning to ache. She recounted the events in her life that dealt with Shinichi and her feelings. Sometimes, she did feel that she could have done without him. Most times, in fact, she could function without worrying. Thoughts of Shinichi would float to the back of her mind and stay there to stop from interfering with her daily activities. But when someone brought him up, her eyes would soften. When she saw his pictures, her eyes would turn glassy and a sad smile would curve at the corners of her mouth. When he called her, her heart would flutter and start to rise to her throat at the sound of his voice that she use to hear everyday. So maybe, that saying was true for her.

What of Shinichi? Did he feel the same way? Or was it the other way around? Maybe he was forgetting her. If she were to ask anyone else who had passed experiences with long distance relationships (including friendships) it was said that they never work out too well. His calls were infrequent, becoming less and less. Their conversations short and cordial, almost as if they were talking to acquaintances rather than someone they knew since grade school. Probably, if Ran were to relay her situation to anyone else, they'd probably tell her that they were growing apart. It was best to forget about him in that way.

Then again, Ran wasn't about to tell anyone her situation so openly. She didn't want to hear such negative responses to crush her already diminishing hopes and she also didn't want to hear any praise for her patience or loyalty. In truth, she didn't feel like she was much different than any other girl. And maybe she wasn't. But to some she seemed to be quite determined as she waited for her best friend to return to her, no matter how long she would have to wait.

That's what it always resulted to, didn't it? No matter how upset or how tired she was, she wouldn't throw in the towel and collapse in defeat. She would just take the disappointment like another hit to her heart and wait. It wasn't patience that she had a lot of, nor was it forgiveness. She was getting more exhausted with each passing day and with each excuse he gave her, but she still had something to hold on to.

She had hope. As fragile as it was, she had a lot of hope that one day things will return to normal and they could just pick up where they left off.

_That's right_. Ran thought as she flexed her hands and stared down at her upturned palms, the half-moon impressions left by her nails starting to fade from her skin. She smiled, despite how confused and lost she truly felt at the moment, and reached for her cell phone. Hope was a fragile thing, but sometimes it was the only thing you could hold on to.

Ran began to type a message into her phone. Once she finished, she picked up her book bag and headed to her room. She placed the phone and bag on her desk once she stepped through her door and collapsed on her bad, face first into her pillow. She curled up on her side and stared blankly at the wall her bed was propped against. It wasn't long before she drifted off, despite the chores and work she had waiting to be done for the day.

On the desk, the screen of her mobile phone flashed with the icon of an envelope being sent before stilling into silence.

* * *

"Is this an invitation?" He asked as he glanced from the message on his phone to the print out copy Haibara had made of her own letter. He set his phone aside as he switched to the next print out, re-reading the strange message.

"The message given to me was less obvious. It seemed they wanted me to find out, but not right away. I'm guessing that you were supposed to read it first." Haibara said as she picked up his phone and glanced at the time it had been sent, "Your message came a few hours before mine."

"Strange." Conan mumbled to himself as he frowned.

"A little." Haibara agreed, placing the phone down to her side. "It's possible that they wanted you to read the message first and give you time to decipher it yourself before I would get involved. I must play a part in this, but it's too early for me to step into the light." She smiled humorlessly at the implications.

"Whatever the case may be, we'll have to figure out this message first, before we can do anything else." He said quietly. His eyes scanned over the paper several times before he glanced up at Haibara.

"Does it mean they're involved?"

"Most likely." She replied carelessly fixed her gaze on the wall behind him. "How else would we be involved?"

Conan stared at her and lack of response, scowling. Some help she was. Wouldn't have mattered if they had sent the message to her either.

"Hm." He thought, back-tracking to the message and tried to read it aloud and see if that would help, "_The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection. To start on the path, one must face the demons within the darkness. They wait in the black of night._ Do you think they purposely used the color black?" He ventured when the thought occurred to him.

"Possibly. Jodie knows of our current situation. She says it came from an unknown source, but it sounds suspiciously like them, doesn't it?"

"So this could be the start of their 'grand' plan," He offered somewhat sarcastically as an eyebrow rose at the possible implications of the message, "and they're inviting us to take a part of it?"

"A plan in stored for us. Maybe a trap, maybe for something that's a far greater threat than we are. There are many possibilities, but this message only has one, isn't that right?" Haibara smirked as she referred to his usual saying.

_There is always one truth._

"Haha, funny." Conan laughed without finding any humor in their current situation. He returned his gaze to the message and started to break it down, "_The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection._ Are we really talking about art here?"

"It depends. They could be referring to anything and the perfection of it. Say, for instance, the art of assassination." Haibara smiled at the look Conan sent her, "Just kidding."

_Your sense of humor is always appreciated_, Conan thought in exaggeration as he moved onto the next part of the message, "_To start on the path, one must face the demons within the darkness. They wait in the black of night._ Demons meaning, the members of the Black Organization? An invitation for something that will happen in the darkness. A night operation?"

"It wouldn't be uncommon for them, of course. It's only natural for the predator to hunt in the cover of the shadows."

"There must be more clues in here... unless," Conan frowned as his eyes reread the sentence. "Unless this is just the _start_ of clues to come."

Before Haibara could reply, a soft, short ringing began to fill the room. Conan broke out of his concentration as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his other phone, Edogawa Conan's phone. He paused when he realized it was not a call, but instead--"Mail?"

"Maybe you were right." Haibara commented as she walked over to his side to look over his shoulder at the tiny lighted screen.

"Yeah, but..." He trailed off as he keyed into his inbox and opened up the new message, "Why send a message to Kudou Shinichi, then the second one to Edogawa Conan?"

"An address and date?" Conan blinked, trying to scroll up and down only to find there was nothing more to it. "Jodie? Again?"

"It's at a harbor warehouse, Kudou-kun. It's an invitation to _them_." Haibara told him as the address reflected into her darkening eyes. "It's tonight Kudou-kun."

Haibara blinked, glancing over at the young detective when he gave no response. He was deep in thought now. Was he actually considering the possibility of accepting this invitation? Her eyes widened as she snatched the phone from his hands, pocketing it at once.

"Hey!" He cried out, snapping out of his thoughts the moment the device had left his fingers. "Haibara--"

"You can't go. You'll be walking straight into their trap, are you a fool?" She hissed, her usually cool countenance was twisted in anger and increasing concern as she recognized that look in his eyes. The look of someone ready and determined to go, no matter what anyone said.

_Why are you so god damn stubborn?_ She cursed in her mind at a momentary loss of her calm exterior and took a step back for every step he pushed forward in order to retrieve his phone. "Well?!"

Conan stopped in his tracks as he heard the hint of desperation in her voice and the way she stiffened and tensed as an array of emotions coursed throughout her tiny body. He forgot about the phone at once and tried to console her, "Relax, Haibara. I was just thinking of what could be going on down there. Of course I know it's stupid to go down there by myself so late at night."

Haibara was not comforted by the levity in his voice, nor the grin he forced onto his lips. Her own lips began to thin as she watched his actions carefully. He merely smiled in response, glancing down at his watch momentarily, all traces of his smile fading once he saw the time. But before she could get a good look at his expression, he was looking back up at her with a more comforting smile.

"It's getting late." He informed her and turned towards the main entrance. "The Professor will be back soon and I should be getting back home. We'll talk about this tomorrow, see ya!" With that he jetted off without a backwards glance and left Haibara alone in the main room of the house.

She winced at the sound of the entrance door slamming shut. Knowing he was gone, for now, she pulled out Conan's phone and stared at the address in growing anxiety. Tonight they were going to be doing something. They were going to _be there_, continuing with whatever plans they had. She shivered at the mere thought of the times she had been apart of their plans. The people that had been killed, the things sacrificed just for their organization.

She hadn't been lost in her thoughts for long before a similar ringing to that of Conan's phone could be heard within the room, startling her back to reality. She looked down at Conan's phone, but found it to be still. Her eyes roved around the rest of the room as the sound persisted and finally rested on the place she had been seated at moments before.

Haibara placed Conan's phone onto the coffee table before the couch as she walked over to the other mobile phone. She blinked to find another message had been sent to Shinichi. She frowned at the quickness and irregularity of the messages at being sent, but her fears and worries were for nothing as she found the message to be from Mouri Ran.

_Quite forgiving,_ Haibara thought dully as she closed the message without much thought. She placed it down next to the other phone as she started to head back to the lab, her eyes managing to catch the time on the screen of the mobile phone before she had set it down. A few more hours before the stated time of the 'invitation.' She would be making sure of Conan's whereabouts by then.

It wasn't that she didn't trust him out of her own instincts. He had left too many obvious clues and she knew him well enough by now to know that he wouldn't let such a rare opportunity to slip away. He had relented to her much too easily and most of all, he had left the Professor's home without the one thing he had been searching for loud enough to interrupt her research. For the second time that day, he made her opinion ever stronger of him.

_Idiot.___

* * *

[Notes] Sorry, I made a slight mistake in my notes from the first chapter. I said _Hakase _meant Professor, but it literally is a person with a doctoral degree, so I guess it would be more correct to refer to Agasa as Dr. Agasa, but since he is an inventor more than anything, I'll stick to Professor. Sorry to people who noticed this.

_[1] Fan_- Not sure if this is possible (Well sure, anything is possible right?) or if it's been created already, but assume it hasn't and it's possible. If it seems a little off, sorry, I was tired and I rather have more simple explanations. Layman's terms if you will =P  
_[2] Mikan_- well... the cat WAS orange and Mikan means tangerine/orange. I believe Ayumi would pick something cute and obvious=)  
_[3] Kata_- (form) Series (or set) of movements that specializes in certain techniques/moves. Sort of like when you choreograph a dance.  
_[4] Kudou-kun's and Edogawa's phone_- Okay, this is a major spoiler for one particular chapter, but I understood MOST of it, so sorry if I'm somewhat wrong on this, but Ran had once taken Conan's phone when he left it in the car. (It even had a soccer key chain on it!) She suspected Conan was Shinichi, so she tried to unlock the code for Conan's phone. LoL, it was pretty cute since Ran thought Conan (or in this case, thinking it was Shinichi) used her birthday as his password, because it was four keys long, but it turned out to be Sherlock. Ran was kinda upset when she found out she was wrong, but excited when she cracked Shinichi/Conan's phone lock. (After all, Shinichi a genius detective, so it must be an accomplishment to break a genius's code... then again, Sherlock is probably too easy to figure for Shinichi, lol) She tried to find her own mail on Conan's phone, but never did, and then she tried to send an e-mail to Shinichi and waited for it to appear on Conan's phone to prove that he was Shinichi, but it never came! Shock for Ran when she suddenly gets a call from Shinichi, shortly after she sends her mail. Then also gets caught playing with Conan's phone by Conan himself. Turns out that Conan had two phones, his phone as Shinichi and one as Conan. He had recorded some lecture/rant using his voice as Shinichi to call Ran and through her off his tracks and Ran buys it, so Conan is safe with his true identity once again. I saw two cell phones so I guess Agasa, someone, or even Conan thought that he should get another cell phone since Ran might eventually try and sneak into it. After all, cell phones are practically someone's life nowadays, huh? Not for me, I can barely dial someone's number on that thing... lol I'm not very technological. Okay, so now you know Conan has two phones, supposedly. I might have got the translation mixed up/wrong. Sorry, if I did, then I'll just pretend he it happened the way I thought so my fic can work Okay, that took a while...

* * *

[**Omake**]

(_Meaning like a bonus... or as my friend describes it, the toy in your kid's meal!_)

* * *

"Now to add to our latest chapter, we will get to have a short, informative 'interview' type of thing with random members of the cast. Let's start with..." Kaku picks up a stylish hat and riffles through the folded, white slips of paper. She finally selects one near the bottom and pulls it out with much added tension.

A few moments pass as she places the hat on the table and neatly unfolds the slip of paper as the seconds pass in agonizing silence.

"Give me that." Kogorou appears out of nowhere and snatches the paper out of Kaku's hand before she can read the name, "I might as well read it, since it's obvious that the Great Detective, Mouri Kogorou, would be the first to star in this omake!" Kogorou proceeded to strike a pose with his hands fisted against his hips and giving his usual laugh of triumph.

Kaku stares at her empty hands and her eyes begin to water, "But... I wanted to announce it. I'm the author after all!" TT!!

"Dad!" Ran scolds with her hands on her own hips in a motherly fashion, "Give her the paper."

"Why?" Kogorou frowned, started to unfold the paper to read the name himself, "You all know it's going to be me right--What the hell?!"

The entire cast that's present looks over at Kogorou with piqued curiosity.

"Well? Who is it?" Shinichi prods when Kogorou did not answer their questioning glances.

If looks could kill, Shinichi would have been six feet under as he flinched back from Kogorou's fiery gaze, "It's not **_me_**!"

A sigh is heard throughout the cast in a wave of exasperation, "What a surprise." -x-;;

"Wha--!? Argh! It's--" Kogorou tries to growl out through his clenched jaw, ripping the little slip of paper into miniscule pieces. "It's--"

"_All right_!" Kaku shouts at the entire cast, making everyone, including Kogorou, jump in surprise. "There's no way anyone but me is going to announce the first person to star in this omake, so settle down and let _me_--"

"Hey Kudou! Your name was on there."

Silence.

"My name or you mean Conan?"

_Silence_.

"No, no, it's your real name."

**Silence**.

"So..."

"You did it now Heiji!"

"What?! Why is it my fault?!"

"You idiot!"

"You're the idiot, idiot!" Heiji and Kazuha proceed to argue.

"You didn't help matters either, Shinichi." Ran reprimands.

"What? What did I do?" Shinichi questioned with a frown.

"You had to ask him!"

"Well he said something and I was just curious..."

"_He_ wasn't supposed to say it! You only encouraged him by asking questions!"

"You're just mad that you weren't the first!"

"What?! How can you be so childish--" Ran and Shinichi continue to argue.

Kaku is frozen in her spot, surrounded by arguing couples and cast members, her eye twitching from time to time.

"Seeing as everyone's fighting and the author's frozen in shock, I can safely say that this omake is over." Kaito pops up and gives a proper bow. "I hope you enjoyed the show!"

"**_PUNISHMENT! _Kogorou** and **Heiji** will not get their omake until everyone else has done one. That includes everyone from every case ever covered in Detective Conan, dead or alive! So we might never get to you two. As for **Shinichi**, he will get his ass kicked in the next chapter as Conan!"

Kaito grins in delight, "Oops, guess it wasn't over."

"What?!" Three males cry out in outrage at the (unfair) sentence given to them.

"We're done." Kaku concludes with a finality in her tone, pretending that she didn't hear them.

"What about my omake--" Shinichi begins to question, risking his life in doing so.

"Would you like me to change it that you are _maimed, beaten and bloodied within the last inch of breath you would have left in your body?_" Kaku is met with silence. She smiles and bows to the readers. "I hope you enjoyed the omake and thank you for reading! Until next time! Again, I'm sorry for the grammar and spelling errors, but I'm just way too tired and I've went over this three or four times myself. I hate beta reading..."  
  
"I could always--" Kaito starts to offer, a devious grin starting to form on his face.

"No."

"But I--"

"**No**."

Pout. "You're no fun."

* * *

  
[**Owari**]


End file.
